


And Then the World was Robbed of Color

by CherryJacks



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: X & Y | Pokemon X & Y Versions
Genre: Animal Death, Apocalypse, Blood and Injury, Bomb Shelters, Developing Relationship, Diantha & Sycamore Sibling Headcanon, Diary/Journal, F/F, Illnesses, Lysandre is Awful, M/M, Mass Death, More tags to be added, Multi, Past Relationship(s), Pokemon Battle, Rating May Change, Starvation, The Weapon Does Much More Damage, Unreliable Narrator, Villain Wins, Wasteland, radiation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-08
Updated: 2016-04-15
Packaged: 2018-05-31 23:36:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6492277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CherryJacks/pseuds/CherryJacks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There is only limited time for Champion Diantha to save lives before the weapon is fired. With bodies huddled in the League's shelter, she has to wonder if perhaps it would have been mercy for them to remain in the streets? </p>
<p>Now with only two known remaining groups holed up in Kalos, Diantha's team must work to keep everyone alive. It's only two years, they can make it two years. By then the plants will return and the radiation will fade. They do not need the aid of Lysandre's group, they will survive in spite of him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Siren Cry

_"He gave us a choice, at least he did with me. It was a choice that I could not take no matter what that ultimately meant for me. To accept would mean the death of my soul, but to refuse the death of my body. I have to say that the loss of my body seemed easier to bear than that of my soul. So as the world watched with fear, Lysandre made his choice to unleash the devastating power of that awful weapon. We were powerless to stop it. I was powerless to stop him. He claimed that it was needed, that there was nothing worth saving on the planet's surface. He would rather see the world die than to continue trying, than to continue to try to save its still living beauty. That weapon, he told me that it would kill everything. All beings that brought such music, and flowers that painted the land in color, all would be muted and grey. I suppose I was ready to join. I would weep what had become of the man I loved in whatever the afterlife offered me. I was ready to wait for my fate in the streets of Lumiose City, the city that I loved so greatly, but the anguished shout of her alerted me. My dearest sister wasn't ready to die."_

~*~

His steps dragged against the set stones of his walkway. He would leave the arched doorway and welcomed comforts offered within his lab to join the swirling chaos that encased the entire city around him. His fingers held his holocaster weakly, the message still replaying and casting the bluish glow against his palm. Lysandre's form was held in his hand, but it was Lysandre that held the fate of the world in his. He was the final judge to the world and his ruling was that of strict cruelty. Only those he saw as worthy were to live and despite the worth that such a man saw in the Kalos Professor, he would rather join the panicked masses and share their fate.

What a horrid film that layered the streets in its sickly heaviness. There was no more joy and cheer to be had, only desperate cries and rushing bodies everywhere his eyes dared to wander. His guilt was great, Augustine had reasoned within himself that Lysandre's actions were partly his to claim blame. It was something that the Professor was so sure in his hindsight that he should have seen the budding blooms of before it fully matured into the raging monster with no hopes to quell.

_"I could have stopped this."_

Every step into the roaring avenues made the line repeat itself louder and louder. Louder to be heard over everything around him. Cars blared horns and filled with much too many passengers and people tried to flee what they were certain would be the first blast zone. The weapon was already present, present and bloomed. Its power only legend, but very easy to fear despite the proof of the power claimed.

Augustine had no reason to think that it didn't indeed possess the power that Lysandre claimed. He was eager to share with the Professor everything about it when the questions could finally be asked. The only question that hung in the air between them was the one that Lysandre quickly posed, "Join me at my shelter, we will be safe there until the planet resets."

Augustine's steps faltered as a body collided with his, the person in question didn't even stop to see if he was alright. They just continued to run down the streets while yelling for friends and loved ones. A shop's opening served as a fine place for Augustine to rest against while nursing his sore shoulder, that way he was also out of the way of the many that still wished to flee.

There would be no escape though, he thought, there was nowhere that they could possibly go. Were there any heroes that might have been trying to stop the madman he once happily shared coffee with only but weeks ago? He certainly hoped so, even if such a thing was a hope without reason.

There were sobs, hope was leaving the crowds in a hurry and Sycamore couldn't stand to watch it. He squeezed his eyes shut, his hands slowly raising to cover his ears. If he was to be killed where he chose to stand, near the center of the city, he would do so in his own mind. There he formed his own safe paradise, hills rose against the skyline and dotted themselves with hundreds upon thousands of bright blooms. Trees came next to fill the blank spaces, along with shrubs and bushes bursting with berries. If he continued to concentrate he could almost smell the scent of honey and feel the warm breeze tickle his cheeks.

Every screech of tires and shout of fear threatened to dissipate his paradise like passing smoke, but he continued to hold it with all his might. The only thing left to do was to step into the image and leave the horrors he didn't wish to face behind. He knew he would die standing in the doorway of a shop with screaming patrons around him, but at the very least his mind would already be elsewhere. Suddenly his shoulders shook and his paradise cracked and crashed like a sudden earthquake swallowed it whole, his eyes shot open and he was faced with the image of his only sister, Diantha.

She was shouting, tears built up on her soft lashes, but for the life of him Sycamore couldn't make out her words immediately. It wasn't until her shaking stopped that she was understood, "I was at your lab, but you weren't there! I didn't think that I would find you!" Her hand refused to loosen from his shoulder, "We have to leave now, Augustine! Get in the car now!"

He barely had the time to process before he was shoved into the waiting vehicle. His skull scraped metal as he jolted at the sound of more car horns. Nearby he watched with his stomach forming a pit at a family throwing belongings into the back of a van. Children whirled around with crazed expressions, trying to read the signals that guardians were casting their way. The poor souls had no clue what anything meant.

Upon entering he was only able to catch the glimpse of Elite Four Drasna behind the wheel. Her knuckles were white with how tightly she gripped it, yet she managed a small smile to Augustine as he took his seat in the back, it was short lived having caught the same sight as he out on the street. Diantha climbed into the passenger seat and was immediately busy on her holocaster. There were questions that Augustine wished to ask as the motor roared and the vehicle lurched forward, but they were forgotten at the sound of soft sniffles escaping another occupant of the car.

A young girl that he recognized as Bonnie was sniffling into the jumpsuit of her brother, Clemont. He mindlessly stoked her short golden hair and curled back as his vision remained locked forward behind large frames. He looked as though a form of shock had gripped him, but why wouldn't it have? Lumiose City was the boy's home and place of station and he was forced to watch her collapse around him in a frightening panic.

 _"Where is their father?"_ The Professor thought, but with the way the young girl was sobbing he didn't wish to ask for fear the answer would only upset her further.

The car ride was spent with Augustine watching the scenery pass by with a blur, the only sounds other than the engine and the tiny sobs were the frantic sounds of Diantha's typing.

"We don't have to stop anywhere else." She instructed to Drasna, "The other gym leaders have made their arrangements-" Her holocaster lit up in her hand and after taking a moment to read a strangled cry left her lips.

"What's wrong?" Augustine blurted, he was never belted in his seat so he easily leaned forward to try to comfort her.

She waved off his attempts to reach her and only continued to hold back her cries, her words eventually formed, "Olympia can't hold it back much longer, the weapon is going to fire!"

Drasna's foot pressed the pedal lower instinctually and sped the vehicle ahead.

Diantha struggled to continue, "Wulfic will not be joining us at the shelter." She added with a sob. It was clear once the news sank in for the Elite it caused something to stir in Drasna, but she continued to remain focused on her task, her knuckles only whitening further from a tightened grip.

"He is going to stay behind with Olympia." Diantha continued with effort, her nails dug into her seat, "They don't think it can be stopped, but they will buy us time until we can get everyone in the shelter."

"That's why you grabbed me!" Augustine suddenly shouted, "You could have tried to grab any number of people that were running in the street, why me!?"

"I'm not letting you die!" Diantha shouted back, her face was red from her earlier sobbing, "We will save as many as we can, we can only hold so many in the shelter."

Augustine's wheels were moving at a frantic pace, everything was happening much too fast. He just couldn't process everything at once, it just formed a mess in his mind that he could hardly sort through. All the noise faded into the background and he felt like his body would smolder away with a slow torturing flame. Bonnie's continued cries only served to fill him with further guilt. He should not have been grabbed, their father should have been in the seat instead of him. Perhaps, his mind tried to reason, perhaps he was already at the shelter waiting with full panic for his kids to arrive, "Why does the league even possess a bunker?" He muttered, not expecting to actually hear an answer at all.

Drasna was the one to offer her insight on the subject, her voice shook ever so slightly as she spoke and her eyes never left their frozen stance ahead, "Kalos' history is a long history of war. Even though many would have liked to believe that such a past is behind us, that just wasn't a risk that the league wanted to take when it was first formed. It isn't large enough to hold the entire population, but we can save some-"

"So the league is only saving the privileged  few..." He caught himself too late to prevent the words from spilling forth, causing his sister to whip around again to face him.

  "We can't stop him," She spat, "We can't reason with him and we can't fight him. Lysandre is hell-bent on killing us all, but we are going to live!" She let out a long shaky breath, "We need to save as many as we can and live, but I don't even know if we will get there in time."

Augustine was silent after that, his guilt only greater. Of course Diantha was doing her best, there was only so much she could do anymore. Saving whatever lives she could became her top priority. Who was he to question anything she was doing? He couldn't even gather the strength to question Lysandre when he should have.

The tense silence was thankfully short lived by Clemont humming to his sister. It would have appeared that her crying had finally worn her out. Clemont was but a child himself, but he appeared to be the strongest soul in the vehicle.

It was strange hearing his voice finally whisper in the car, but heartbreaking to hear his words, "My father is not going to be at the shelter will he?"

Diantha let out a long breath before she addressed the young gym leader, "Your father joined Wulfric and Olympia to try to stall for time..." Her sentence hung as though there was more to say, but the words just wouldn't form, "I'm sorry." Was all she could manage before she returned her attention to her device.

Clemont's arms wrapped a bit tighter around his sister, but he had nothing else to say. He just let his head wedge against the door and let his eyes close to mimic sleep.

"We're almost there." Drasna said like a mantra, they were almost to the league. The tall building could just be made out past the tree line but the Professor couldn't feel any comfort by the sight. The hope of safety behind its doors just didn't feel right for him to celebrate. He cooled his forehead against the car glass and waited, not wanting to say anything further that might upset his fellow occupants.

He couldn't reason why he wished to lash out so much. He supposed that he was bitter in some way that his sister wished to save him so strongly. Every thought process eventually traveled to the same end, he wished he could have been left behind. He denied Lysandre his offer, he only wished Diantha would have given him the same option. Though she was never one to stand by and allow him to willingly destroy himself. He just hoped that those that were left behind wouldn't suffer. _"Please,"_ He begged to whoever would listen, _"Please let it be quick."_

Kalos' scenery was as beautiful as ever, but it was all soon to be thrown away. Augustine let his arm fall weakly at his side, his fingers tracing over one of the smooth capsules on his belt. He moved them along until he counted four on his belt, only four. His heart couldn't have slipped any lower into his stomach than it did when he thought about all the pokemon that were left behind at the lab. Thankfully the sky was beginning to darken, they would be sleeping once the blast reached them. He would have thought "if", but any hope of that was long gone. Left far behind at his desk and left with a now chilled mug of coffee. His hope died when his holocaster showed Lysandre's figure. It was the final nail that shattered his remaining doubt. Even when Lysandre presented him with his choice, he still stubbornly believed that he wouldn't go through with it. The man that was once his student, his friend, someone that he once called his lover, was now standing at the helm of the planet's destruction.  

The thought made everything else that was happening seem so small when the scale of the world was compared. Lysandre didn't only hate the filth that he believed polluted Kalos, but the entire world. Millions, no, Billions of lives he was willing to cast away for his image. He cared not for the deep scars that would remain for a millennia, he only cared to wipe everything away. All so he could forge it in his image of perfect beauty and peace.

They were going to spite him of that weren't they? Diantha was so desperate to preserve life despite what Lysandre was doing. There needed to be a group of people that were not mindless drones of his agenda. They would survive, they had to survive to give the world some hope.

Augustine only wished his sister didn't want him to live so greatly, he just didn't feel like he deserved the spot. Surely many others were more worthy than he. His mind wandered back to thoughts of his lab, the images of young pokemon nestling down to sleep ripped at his heart. Did any of his staff get shuttled away to safety? What of Dexio and Sina? They had not been with him at his lab during the announcement, were they somewhere safe? Sophie and Cosette? They were present at the lab when the announcement came in, but did not remember seeing them when he left the lab. He wanted so badly to ask Diantha if they were already at the shelter, if they weren't it would be too late to go back. He just remained quiet and prayed that they were at the league waiting and not left in the city to await such a morbid fate.

All the children he chose for his dex program. Their faces filled his mind, it was another question that he was too afraid to ask for fear the answer would devastate him. Eventually his mind thought of Lysandre, though he tried to push it away. Whatever memories of that man were now tainted, soon to be tainted with the blood of so many. If they survived, if he survived, he knew that Lysandre would exist in the world as well. Augustine's fist clenched, he hoped he never saw his face ever again for as long as life pulled him along. What a damn fool Lysandre made him. He preached his good name only to be betrayed. As long as he wasn't going to forgive himself, he sure as hell would refuse to forgive him too.

The car came to an abrupt stop outside the grandeur that was the pokemon league, causing Augustine to focus back to reality and his fellow passengers to stir. Once doors flew open, the distinct sound of a siren could be heard to their west. The cry was their final warning for what was about to occur. There was no more time and no more hope of the crisis being stopped. It was time to descend into the shelter that they hoped would shield them from the unholy destruction that would soon storm their way.

"Geosenge is almost 500 kilometers away." Diantha muttered to herself while Augustine stepped out of the car to stand next to her. He ducked his head carefully to not bruise his sore skull further.

"Four and a half hours away roughly by car." He added.

The Champion took another long calming breath, "By car, I'm not worried about a car." She weakly squeezed her brother's hand and he watched as color drained from her face at the sight of so many lost people crowded at the league, each person was waiting for her guidance and wisdom. Pleading eyes all weighed down on her.

"There are too many." She whispered under her breath, only Augustine caught her words, "I don't know how we will fit them all."

~*~

_"I never in my life had seen such a place that would only be entered by the best trainers in the land be so full of people. I saw so many faces I recognized and I was grateful, but also saddened that we were going to be all that remained. I saw so many people in the streets, but so few were waiting at the league to be given space in the shelter. In the end it was still only the privileged few. I don't think I could blame the leaders for bringing in friends and families, but that meant that the evacuation was a rigged game. The others I saw running in terror would have never been given such a chance, they were already chosen to die."_

~*~

Augustine followed into the center of the building, the noise rising like a disturbed beast just as fiercely as in the city. Except this time it was questioning voices shouting at the Champion and begging for her words. Yet the Professor watched with amazement as she gathered her strength and spoke to the crowd. She was starring in the most important role of her life, she was the pillar of strength that the crowd needed. The people appeared to automatically split themselves up by home town, their Gym Leaders standing in the front as their chosen delegate.  Only those from Wulfric and Olympia's towns stood without their beacon. The remaining members of the league stood by their champion, sans one member. Augustine found himself filling the space that was left barren by the missing Elite, Malva. It didn't take much thought to know why she was missing. If the betrayal caused Diantha any pain, she refused to bother with it for the time being. At least in a way, her and Augustine felt very much the same.

At his post, the Professor was able to look out into the crowd and see the individual faces. Relief trickled through at the sight of some of his staff. At least the ones he was worried about had made it in the end. He could see Serena watching him solemnly. One of her slender hands was grasping her mother's while the other held onto Shauna's. Calem met his gaze and did his best to hold back his obvious fear. The Professor wondered how much of an act he was trying to maintain for his friends? Trevor only watched the floor while Tierno seemed to whisper to him quietly. At least, Augustine thought with relief, that the child had each other and their families too. It was more than others could say.

Down the row where he stood, Drasna's soft expression, while also showing the signs of pain under their features, gave a soft nod to Gym Leader Clemont and his sister. Augustine could only wonder if it was her wish to take them under her wing. At the very least it was clear that she felt for the children's perceived loss of their father.  

The siren's wail continued outside the decorative doors. It only served to remind the crowd that they were in very real danger. It only served to remind the Professor that he had failed. He would have been correct to assume that Diantha felt much of the same, but he didn't wish to assume her feelings. It was hard to maintain a strong face for the crowd ahead of him, he knew people were watching him along with his sister. He wasn't as stoic, but for the sake of his staff and students he would try. With a few breaths to calm a beating heart, he stood as straightly and strongly as he could muster. At the very least he did his best to tune out the siren that continued off in the distance.

The Champion commanded the crowd to stand back from the center of the vast room and gave a swift nod to Elite Wikstrom, "Everyone will be entering the shelter." She announced, "We must enter it in a calm fashion to ensure everyone's safety."

At Wikstrom's activation the center of the floor began to open revealing a vast staircase that led deep into the bowels of the great structure. The old mechanics whirled and buzzed angrily from the countless years of misuse as each step was laid out behind the other. With a brief flickering of bulbs, the staircase was illuminated and a massive metal door revealed itself at the bottom.

The armored Elite leapt forth, nearly jumping down the entire length of the staircase before he stopped at the grand door to work at the heavy latches. His arms strained underneath his armor, but even old locks were not enough to stop the Elite from forcing them to loosen. The crowd shuttered impatiently, certain groups slowly edging ahead to ensure that they would be one of the first to enter. Gym Leaders, backed by their people, eyed each other like competition.

"Slowly and easily now, "Diantha began as she noticed the signs of impatience, but her words were ignored by a horrified shriek from the masses.

"What is that!?" The voice shouted, causing all eyes to focus on a high western window. A flaming pillar of light was cutting savagely through the night sky and everyone who saw it knew what it meant.

Like the flip of a light switch, all calm was lost as the crowd flocked the staircase all at once. Screams and shouts erupted when some were shoved and sent sprawling down the steps. Nothing the Champion could say or plead could restore order, not when the beacon of death was glowing outside and filling everyone with mindless horror. Parents shoved children ahead to force them into the shelter first. It was nothing more than a free-for-all, Leaders and Elites abandoned posts and joined the panicked crowd to shove into the shelter. Diantha trailed behind, Augustine stayed near her the entire time and they were the last to enter the shelter.

"Wikstrom!" Diantha shouted, "We need to get these doors shut now!"

The knight was still stationed by the entrance wall, ready to do his duty, "The panel, my Champion. The panel will not close the first hatch from here, something is not working!"

He continued to work at the panel to no avail, the first set of doors would not be closed from that station. Diantha's teeth began to work at her lip, but before she could offer a solution, Augustine turned to rush back up the staircase.

"Augustine, no!" She called hopelessly. Her brother only continued the remaining steps and darted to the panel he saw Wikstrom use before.

"I'll close it from here!" He hoped his voice was loud enough for the pair below to hear. He didn't bother with an answer as he looked over the controls. He purposely wouldn't allow his curiosity to glace out the high window, he knew that there was little time left for them.  If the doors were not properly sealed any hope that might have returned would be wasted, the Professor knew he had to risk being shut out.

Pressing the controls that he believed were correct caused the mechanics to work on the hatched floor. It gave the Professor just enough time to jump onto the staircase and return back down below, but as he turned to do so the ground quaked violently and tossed his feet out from under him.  

As though a train had crashed through a station, an explosion quaked the entirety of the league. The large intricate windows broke free of their panes, raining glass onto the hapless man below. All he could do was roll into a ball and hope a massive shard did not pierce him though.

"Augustine!" He heard her cry just over the horrible rumble that was getting ever closer. Pulling himself to his feet he burst the last of his energy through his body and slid through the narrow opening that remained, his lab coat becoming closed in the jaws.

"Close the door!" He cried over the crashing sounds outside, "Just close the door, I'll be fine!"

He dangled precariously in the new darkness, his feet failing to touch any of the steps that had already been stored back into the wall. He knew they could all hear the raging shockwave approaching. His eardrums stung from the thundering noises that he could not shield himself from, "Please!" He yelled with no hope of being heard, "Please leave me."

~*~

_"I lied to her, but she knew it. I knew full well if I was left to hang, I would have probably died. As stubborn as I can be, she was always so much more. I never heard her tell me to drop out of my coat, but when I slid out unwillingly, I was surprised to be caught by her and Wikstrom. We weren't graceful when we stumbled back through the entrance of the shelter and we were even less so when the doors were finally sealed with our combined efforts. We collapsed in a heap and huddled together just as the rest of the members surely did further in. When the weapon's power reached us it was so unbelievably frightening. I think we were all so sure that it would rip the thick steel shielding us from its destruction right off of us. Every crash above made us grip each other tighter. The lights that dimly brightened the vast shelter flickered violently like strobes with each and every wave. Then they went out entirely and left us all in the pitch dark. Only the screaming told me that we had lived, but we still refused to release each other. We didn't die, but we were lost. None of knew what to do or what was left ahead of us. All we knew was that we were a rebellious patch of life when all the rest of the world was gone and we were going to stay that way."_


	2. Resistance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Olympia and Wulfric must do everything in their power to hold the weapon back, while a masked hero seeks out the man that started it all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Descriptions of injury and death)

The sight of a fantastic bud that was set to bloom to full glory was usually a sight to be praised and admired by onlookers. The hard work of a gardener would show in the flower's strong stem and bright petals once the flower was able to fully greet the late sun. Gardens were usually tended with the care and desire to groom life, but the massive bloom that was cracked through the ground had no such intent.

Not much could be said of the flower's creator, but it was certain that the current wielder only wished to use it for destruction. Such a thing, a horrible creation, if it was allowed to fully open it would spell the end of the earth and her people. A future grey and dry with life stripped from its surface, Olympia could see it all so clearly.

The woman hovered over the turned earth in the town of Geosenge like an angel of myth and scripture. Her clothing flowed and radiated around her form as she rose higher and higher to meet the weapon. She was one blessed with great power and burden and her burden was to prevent such a weapon from scaring the world permanently. Only white light shone from her gaze, her royal purple locks writhed from the vast energy she forced through her body.

She reached forth with strength that was only rivaled by her mind and quivering arms wrapped in light commanded the wicked flower to cease in its blooming. As long as her power held she would deny the man, now known as the leader of Team Flare, from success.

_"There is a great danger that is rising in Kalos."_

Her gift of sight had granted her many things in life, but deciphering the visions had always been a difficult prospect. Now she was faced with the very thing her visions had shown her. A living nightmare that would stir her in her moments of rest and cause her to have to meditate on their meaning. Never direct were they in their message and because of it she was unable to pinpoint the exact danger that her region was to face.

Her body ached from the tension and strain that she put it through, but she would not allow herself to give up. Even as the crystal petals pushed back against her, Olympia pushed her power to its limit. The lion of fire that haunted her nightmares and visions would not best her yet. She could not lose focus, but it would have seemed that the lion's minions were crawling out from their dens to put a stop to her. With no power to spare, she could not even try to fight them.

 ~*~

A celestial being in flight and struggle, that was what Wulfric saw while his heavy feet pounded the fractured dirt in the decimated town. His lungs drew in a frantic gasp of stale air before his deep voice shouted out across the center where the weapon had sprouted. A battle cry to warn the scum in red that dared try to interrupt Olympia that he was going to face them in combat. As he threw forth his partners from his belt and released them all in a flash and roar, his coat flew free of his shoulders. He cared not that his shoulders were now bare to the environment, he only directed his sight at the first grunt that stood in his path.  

The usually soft-eyed and gentle Gym Leader had none of that nature to spare for Team Flare. His pokemon, while surprised by their trainer's fury, were quick to match it against opponents. Ice spiked and jutted across the terrain in the wake of Wulfric's Abomasnow and Avalugg. The large pokemon making quick work to intimidate the lowly grunts with their raw power. Cryogonal hovered ahead of them, conjuring biting ice towards human and pokemon alike. Screeches that rose from a grunt's Golbat escaped the creature's large maw before its ice coated wings forced it from the air. Ice and electricity crackled together on impact. Cryogonal's beam was too much for the smaller Manectric to handle and it too was bested.

The grunts, to Wulfric's disgust, were nothing but cowards once defeat loomed. They scattered, leaving their fainted pokemon forgotten. Their own hides being the only thing they wished to save at that point.

A pained yell alerted the Gym Leader and he watched rather helplessly as Olympia strained to maintain control. Her energy was quickly fading, her eyes dimmed and cast a saddened view to her fellow Leader.

_"I can't stop this, Wulfric. I can only stall it. Please flee while you still can."_

Her words were laced with shame as she spoke in his mind, but Wulfric had other plans, _"I refuse to abandon you."_

Olympia's expression showed her surprise, but she did not speak to him further. Her eyes only regained light while her focus returned. At the very least, Wulfric would ensure that she could grant their allies as much time as possible. He would not allow anyone to disrupt her.

 Large fingers slowly typed at his held device and sent out what he believed would be one of his final messages to those he was loyal to. Then he was left to watch with tortured spirit at how the weapon was slowly winning its war against the Psychic. It was pointless perhaps, but he commanded his partners to aid her with their ice. Ice is extremely hard, he used to always say to gym challengers, and it encased the weapon in a shell, but it is also brittle. As soon as large chucks hardened on the flower's surface, they cracked and fell away. Each fragmenting piece fell to the earth like the aged Leader's own heart. He was faced with the fact that he was powerless to help.

That didn't stop him and his team from continuing to try. If Olympia was willing to use the last of her gifted power and then he too would do the same. No other grunts dared to come forth to interrupt the pair and the Leaders were left to be the only people that dared to stand on the town's surface. Why anyone, even a devoted member of Team Flare, would have even tried to risk interrupting was beyond the ice trainer.

he wondered briefly what kind of man would send his own followers to possibly die. If the pitiful grunts were successful at downing Olympia from the sky they would be first in the fury of the blast. Though he supposed there was no telling the amount of lies or brainwash that helped to groom those in Lysandre's ranks. There was no time to feel pity, those in the color of flames were nothing more than enemies to them all. Their choice was theirs alone, but Wulfric planned to be proud of his own choice to stay behind.

He thought of the other man that had volunteered to join him. The masked hero known as Blaziken Mask. He was quick on the path by Wulfric's side, he too didn't wish to stand and do nothing. Just as Wulfric had those he wished to protect, it would seem that the masked man had the same. Not just a masked man he learned on their journey, but a father and devoted ally to the region. Just as Wulfric and Olympia were willing to die to protect the region, the world, Meyer proved he wanted the same. The Gym Leader only wished he knew if he was able to face Lysandre himself. Though with how the weapon he and Olympia struggled to hold back was surfaced and ready, he doubted such a wretched man even remained at the site.

~*~

Meyer's cape bellowed behind him as he hastened his pace through the narrow hallways of Team Flare's secret headquarters. His most trusted companion, Blaziken, ran right alongside him. The large feathered pokemon's wrists flashed with brief flame. He was eager for a battle. Bright light welcomed them at the end of the hall and they soon found themselves in a massive room. Tables that once seemed to be placed in rows were now lining each far wall, chairs in a stack at the ends. In the vastness of the stark white space, three fiery forms remained. The self proclaimed Hero, Blaziken, and the Team Flare Leader himself.

Lysandre hardly bothered to turn his way from his standing at the end of the chamber. Icy eyes only darted to the pair briefly before returning to overlook another room below from tall observation windows. Even the heavy steps from his company did little to bother the towering man from his roost at the platform. He stance was that of perfect calm, quite the contrast when compared to the hectic mess that he had unleashed on the world. He just continued to focus down below with interest. His tall form prevented the other man from seeing what had his attention in the dark below.

With a gloved hand trailing the thick glass as though he was searching for dust, He finally turned to face his company. Face was stoic and posture proper. He smoothed his jacket and prepared himself to speak, but Meyer had no desire to listen to his words.

"Monster!" The masked man bellowed deep from his gut, Blaziken adding his own agitated call to his trainer's, "Stop all of this at once! I will not allow you to destroy innocent lives!"

There was a quirk of a thinly groomed eyebrow, along with a tug at the lips that suggested that Lysandre almost wanted to grin at the "Hero's" display. He stepped forward, his polished shoes waiting just at the edge of the first step, and brought his hands forward in a fashion almost welcoming, "Only three have stepped forward to try to stop me, only three. How disappointing."

There was almost exasperation in his tone as Lysandre spoke further, "Perhaps I was far too subtle, our movements too hidden and silent. Surely there must have been someone with the knowledge to warn others to my plan," If he was hinting that there was such a person, he didn't elaborate and to be fair, Meyer didn't care to know at that moment. It was the glint of his keystone ring and the motion of his hand passing over a pokeball that fully drew Meyer's attention, "Not a single member of the league, not even the Champion herself could have showed to stop me. How sad." He motioned to a monitor near the far corner that displayed a choppy image from outside, "Two Gym Leaders without a single hope to prevent my ancestor's weapon from firing and..." His gaze settled on the Hero and his pokemon, "...a vigilante hero who hides his face."

Meyer grit his teeth, "The League is trying to save as many people as they can!" He shouted, his heart ached when he watched the seemingly hopeless efforts of the Leader's outside. He just hoped that the Champion and the League would be able to get to the shelter in time. He hoped that his children would be safe.

"I know." Lysandre replied flatly, "I know all about the League's poorly thought out plan. The real question I pose, is why you are even here? The League has already made up their mind, the weapon will fire and the unworthy will be wiped from this world. Why would you choose to die-" There was a pause when his voice caught. Why it did, Meyer could not reason, "Why would you choose to die when the League is offering its shelter?"

"We're giving them a chance to even make it to that shelter." Meyer muttered before tossing an accusing finger Lysandre's way, "The question should be, why are you here? If it is as you say, the weapon is going to fire. Why remain so close, your people have fled. None of your members even offered resistance to me coming here and reaching you."

Blaziken's hackles rose and his stance became rigid as he eyed their enemy carefully, a low sound to his trainer made it clear that he didn't wish for anymore speaking. Yet, Meyer had more to say, "Were you hoping for someone else?"

It was a question without any hope of actual impact, more said as a taunt, and yet the pale expression that Lysandre's face formed showed Meyer that it did achieve it. The expression was forced away and soon Lysandre's pleasantry faded. With pokeball free from his belt, he cast it forward to reveal his Gyarados. The creature's large serpentine body blocked off the gap between the two men and teeth lashed forward to show his intent if he were to approach.

"Time is growing short and I have no more wish to stall," Lysandre announced, "It appears that fate has chosen you to be my opponent."

His keystone ring gleamed as it was thrust towards the ceiling, "I refuse to play this game like a mere child." He scoffed. A smile settled on his lips while webs of light soon encircled both his hand and the large gem that his Gyarados wore around his neck. Meyer wasted no time and took the chance to do the same. His own keystone was pulled from the center of his belt and his Blaziken let out a massive crow as the same light joined around them.    

The fluxing rays that surrounded them soon burst in a vivid array of sparkling energy, bounding across the floor tiles until it fizzled out. Both pokemon, now surging with added power and changed physical form, threatened the other with their cry.

"This is how a proper battle is done!" Lysandre nearly cheered, there was brief shock at the fact that his opponent could wield the same power as he, but he appeared far more pleased by the reveal ultimately. "It is too bad that I could not have met you sooner, perhaps you could have joined my organization."

Meyer's stomach turned at his words and after backing himself towards the entrance to give room for the fight, he commanded his Mega Blaziken's first attack, "Give it all you have! Show them true fire!"

Blaziken's speed was without equal. His bright plumage was soon surrounded by scorching flame while he shot across the room with a reckless charge, landing a blow on his target. The massive body of the serpent rocked from the hard impact and bursting fire. A roar filled the room, causing the masked man to cover his ears from the piercing sound, and tail lashed forth wildly without thought. It cracked through tables, leaving them in splinters, and scattered chairs from their once hastily formed stacks.

Lysandre stood unmoving, even while his pokemon bellowed from the painful attack. Without a word, only a meeting of harsh eyes, Gyarados' composure mimicked that of his trainer's. The years spend by each other's side was evident in how they breathed almost perfectly in sync. With Blaziken's first attack failing to down his partner, Lysandre was free to utter his first command.

Meyer strained to hear what Lysandre commanded his Gyarados to do to no avail, but once the floor began to quake he knew. As Blaziken's feet meet the hard floor he was immediately knocked free from them, dropped down onto the unforgiving tile. Even with all his speed there was nothing the pokemon could do to stop the next attack. Swinging tail met the pokemon with outstanding force, the sickly sound that Blaziken forced through his beak was only rivaled by Meyer's own cry.

He had lost the battle.

With a blink like a camera flash, Blaziken was reverted back to his original form. Even before Gyarados' tail lifted from the still, feathered body, Meyer had already crossed the room to him. Mask slipped free from his face and yet he couldn't find it in himself to care. It was tossed in favor of fixing it. At least that way he could look at his pokemon without the tinted lens that once hid his true eyes. Blaziken's large head was soon cradled on his lap and shaky work-worn hands stroked plumage. The pokemon's chest shallowly rose from struggled breaths, but he was still breathing.

"For a moment I thought that you may have been one of the chosen ones," Lysandre mocked while praising his own pokemon. As sleek scales were stroked, the large serpent also reverted back to his previous form. "It would appear that I remain to be the only chosen one left in the room." There was a flash of pity that crossed his stern features for the man that continued to cradle his injured companion, "You came here to challenge me, I apologize that it had to be this way."

Meyer glared at Lysandre's feet when they stood just short of his partner's body, arms wrapped around Blaziken's shoulder's protectively and gingerly.

"I am not a monster." He heard the Team Flare Leader murmur shamefully, "In fact, I wanted nothing more than to help everyone who inhabited this planet."

"Liar." Meyer hissed.

Lysandre bent closer, his hand hovering much too close to the injured pokemon for Meyer's comfort, "I think that you should consider the offer that I'm about to give you." His palm flattened on feathers, "I will give you a place in my shelter, both you and your Blaz-"

Too many words were wasted between the two of them and Meyer was just so damn sick of hearing any more spill from Lysandre's lie-infested lips. His arms, strong from years and years of common labor, nighttime heroics, and the raising of two children all on his own, swung out towards the other man. One latched firmly on Lysandre's cravat, forcing his face closer before the second landed a punch right at his perfectly straight nose. The crack that was heard couldn't help but cause Meyer to grin. Certainly his nose wouldn't be straight any longer after the number that was just inflicted on it.

The redhead was promptly released and left to stumble back across the floor, palm brought up to stem the profuse bleeding from his nostrils. His eyes immediately began to water and run. What happened next, Meyer would decide, had been worth the look that he caused the Team Flare Leader to sport in the end.  

Gyarados' roar rattled Meyer's ears yet again before teeth crunched through the thick plates protecting his arms in the suit he wore. Like a toddler with a doll, Gyarados whipped and tossed his trainer's assaulter before finally sending him flying across the chamber. The pokemon seemed satisfied when his body hit cinderblock walls and crumpled on the floor, but it wasn't until his trainer called that he tore his hateful stare away.

Lysandre's palm was still held firmly on his leaking nose, muffling his speech, "Leave him now, he can die with the rest!" Gyarados' pokeball was rolled in his free hand, but he hesitated one last time. The large pokemon's face could be recognized as showing sadness despite the harshness he normally displayed, "You did well. Adieu, my friend." He allowed his partner to nuzzle against him briefly before pressing the command for him to return. A thin beam of red light soon engulfed Gyarados' body and he disappeared inside the capsule.

While he watched the feed displayed on the monitor, he took each and every member of his team and placed their pokeball in a tray. His nose dripped causing droplets to stain the smooth surfaces. Wiping it away with his thumb did little to remove the traces of the added red. The sight caused his arms to grow weak and he was left staring at his team. There was blood already on his hands, only to soon be so much more.

He left without another look at his team or the two bodies that were sprawled out in the chamber. All his focus was now on his next destination. A quick dialing of numbers and he contacted his team that was nervously awaiting his arrival.

"Oui." He spat, "I will be arriving alone."

Steps echoed throughout the dark hallway, his dark shape marching deeper under the town. His path was marked with the occasional drops that spattered. He could reason that Meyer's attack was justified in a way. He did after all, feed him only a partial truth. Lysandre would have welcomed Meyer into his shelter, but Blaziken wouldn't have been allowed to possibly survive his wounds. Not a single pokemon could survive into his future. That was one of the many tokens that had to be offered for his vision.

The room he overlooked in the chamber above was cut through in his journey.  A large central holding tank was brushed out of newly conditioned habit on his passing. The shriveled cocoon that sat inside was drained of all its power. All that awaited was for the Gym Leader's to tire and for his most trusted scientist to fire the beam that would wipe the surface clean. The future he was planning wasn't one that would come with ease, but his followers that remained understood. The world was about to die, but they were the chosen Ark. The other shelter, the one at the league, he would deal with it in time. Or perhaps, the thought struck him before he reached the needed lift, perhaps his team would simply wait the others out. Only he was equipped to properly wait for the planet to heal.  

~*~   

Meyer had felt plenty of pain in his moments of recklessness. A ill timed leap from a rooftop, a shock or burn from a repair, but nothing could quite compare with his current state. Grunts forced through his mouth as he made his way across the floor. Any smoothness the tile once possessed had since left after the damage done to it by Lysandre's Gyarados. He could feel each unforgiving scraping edge that his stomach was forced to pass over in his crawl. Right arm was fairly useless in the task. It was quite mauled and mangled thanks to the amazing loyalty such an atrocious man's pokemon maintained.

Blaziken's chest still rose and fell to show that he still breathed, but it was growing far fainter than before. Once Meyer finally reached him, lids flickered over large eyes and struggled to open, "Shh, you shouldn't strain yourself." He cooed. Using his good arm, Meyer weakly smoothed bent and broken feathers. He didn't want to even know the staining trail he left on his journey to reach his partner, but with the way his head seemed to float and warp he was sure it was too much.

A stolen peek at the monitor showed that it mattered little anyway. With the last of Olympia and Wulfric's strength, the weapon won out and expanded its large petals across the expanse of the town. It wouldn't be long now that it was clear to fire, there was nothing else that could be done.

"Blaziken?" Meyer whispered. Blaziken managed to lift a single lid to see his trainer's blanched face, "Did you get to see that punch I landed?"

There was a wheezing sound in response that almost mimicked a laugh, "I'm glad..."

-

-

-

"Blaziken?"

Only the pokemon's breathing offered any response.

"I hope Clemont and Bonnie will forgive me."

~*~

Olympia fell from the sky like a bird robbed of her wings, her mind was frayed and tired, her body just as weak and sore from strain. Wulfric bounded forth and caught his fellow Leader in supportive arms to pull her close to his wide chest and cushioned her fall. The pair rolled across the lawn until they finally came to rest. Olympia hair was loose and wild as it flowed over her shoulders and Wulfric's chest. The larger trainer brushed a few strands from her eyes to ensure that she wasn't injured badly from her fall.

At his touch she spoke not with her mind, but with her voice, "They made it." Her fingers clutched the fabric of Wulfric's tank, "They are at the League, I saw a vision."

The ice trainer could only nod and sigh with relief while they continued to lie on the ground over crushed plants. The weapon that they tried so desperately to stop was towering over them, leaving them in its shadow. They could both see that it was gaining light into its large center. Even if it was pointless, Wulfric's voice commanded his team, "Run away now! Flee!"

The three ice pokemon merely watched the weapon continue to brighten. Meeting their trainer's sight told him everything, they refused. Wulfric was left with very little options, not that options were readily available for them in the first place. Being a man of fate more than he cared to admit, he figured so much was already scripted out. Even the pages of his remaining moments were already being told in the writings of their universe.

He was left to chose instead to return them to their capsules. At least that way, he hoped, they would suffer less when the end came for them. There was nowhere for any of them to run. They all knew the truth, but that didn't stop the desire to force fate to change.

Change was already happening to the pair of witnesses. A deafening sound shot forth, like the noise produced by a passing plane and it was all that could be heard in the space. The earth that surrounded the base of the weapon quivered and shook. Waves of dust blew away from it and buffeted the clutching pair that was forced to remain so close.

Then there was silence that held with anticipation in the air. A stillness was paired that cast uneasiness around it. It was simply false calm that would lead in the crash. And the crash wasn't that far behind. Their eyes were suddenly filled with the fiery beam's explosion that carved a deep mark through the sky. Its forceful blast left their ears ringing and pained, like a prod was forced through the membrane. It formed a scalding chain reaction that shriveled everything in its wake. Plants were drained of  color and leaves resembled thin slices of dried clay, immediately crumbling to nothing.

Olympia's sudden desperate shout went unheard to both of them, but Wulfric saw the way her eyes regained their glow. She threw her arm above the two of them, her psychic abilities once again tested. The glow of her power covered them both and formed a hasty shield that held the immediate blast at bay.

They were forced into a storm of grey around them, so violent and loud, but kept away from their flesh from her protection. Wulfric could do nothing but witness her pull energy from deep within herself. He could see that she had given to much however. With her continued shouts and tear streaked face, he could see her power wanting to flicker.

Flicker it did as she couldn't keep the field around them held. The whirling storm was pushing into the last bubble of green. Her hand touched it first when it lost its protection and Olympia's face morphed into pure shock at how it greyed, cracked, and crumbled away like the rest of the life around them.

 _"I'm so sorry, Wulfric."_ She sent to him, _"I thought I could save us too."_

After taking one final breath, Wulfric pulled Olympia close to him again and her protective field collapsed. The storm crashed into them all at once and swallowed them without mercy. Despite that though their final thoughts were not laced with fear for their demise, but rather given some comfort by the fact that their efforts saved some in the end.

~*~

 Once the dust settled and the weapon's fury came to an end, the cost of what Team Flare had done was final. Where trees and plants once dotted the land, only brittle stumps and grey ash remained. The sky was covered in thick, filthy clouds that choked out any view of the stars hidden beyond. Nothing about it was beautiful, that was burned away leaving nothing but a scarred surface.

Deep in the ground surrounded by rock and steel two patches of life withstood the hand of punishment. They were now the only color that remained.


End file.
